Social ads management platform Driftrock has secured its first round of institutional investment to build out its offering.

Launched at the end of 2013, Driftrock produces a range of ‘self-serve’ marketing applications (apps), which are tailored to a company’s purpose and budget.

The apps allow users to deliver advertising content in the right way to targeted customers at a specific time. Driftrock’s $1 million (£600,000) investment will go towards developing a suite of apps that currently includes OpenBook and Lead Response.

Joining Forward Partners in the transaction are a number of well-known business leaders including Somo CEO Nick Hynes, Huddle co-founder Jonathan McKay, chairman of Just Giving and Exony. Also contributing in his own capacity is Forward Internet Group founder Neil Hutchinson.

Matt Wheeler, CEO and founder of Driftrock, says that since commencing operations in 2013, the start-up has been allowing companies of varying sizes to get more from social media channels.

‘Rather than bulky, hard-to-use software, our tools are designed to work out of the box. We believe marketers shouldn’t need to become statisticians to get results, instead gaining actionable insights in an instant,’ he adds.

Driftrock has held free workshops at Old Street Station in East London

According to Driftrock, its apps provide pricing structures that can be scaled for different businesses. Apps can be used on mobile and desktop platforms to ensure ease of use.

Its OpenBook product is aimed at understanding which advertisements are working and why, while Lead Response was developed to use Twitter Lead Cards – generating instant auto-response emails for leads from the social media platform.

Wheeler says, ‘Social media ads are often overly complex and confusing so it is our aim to provide all of the tools and advice that customers need to get the most from these channels.’

See also: Why consumers trust social media over traditional ads